Mechanism for dry gas meters



Aug. 15, 1933. G, w b 1,922,166

MECHANISM'FOR DRY GAS METERS Filed Aug. 26, 1931 IINVENTOR W Ku wa da BY W W f HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 15, 19 33 PATENT OFFICE 1,922,166 MECHANISM ton DRY GAS METERS Gompei Kuwada, Komedani-Mura, Kawabe-Gun, Japan Application August 26, 1931. Serial No. 559,466

3 Claims. (01. 73-1) My invention relates to improvements in the construction of dry gas meters, and in particular to latches for preventing reverse motion of the meters mechanism, not only whenit is in its upright, normal position, but also when it is in any inclined position.

By the antireverse latch set forth and illustrated in U. S. Patent No. 1,787,633, when the meter is inclined to the left, the latch may possibly ,assumesuoh aposition that if there is dust, grit, or oil present, the projecting finger of the latch may become jammed in the groove wherein the latch moves; or, when the meter is inclined far enough towards itsfront or back, the latch may bind or lie fiat and inoperative in the groove wherein thelatch moves.

To obviate such contingencies, in my present invention, a portion of the latch on the side of the pivot opposite to the projecting finger is so shaped and proportioned in relation to its projecting finger that this portion will project into the path of the revolving tangent arm even when the latch becomes fixed as mentioned above. Moreover, to further assure the prevention of reverse movement of the revolving tangent arm in any and all inclined positions, either to the right or to the left, or to front or back,between 0 and 90 to the normal position, in addition to the aforementioned latch piece, there is provided a second latch piece, which piece may take the form and construction of the aforementioned latch, and may be suspended on the same pivot but facing the opposite direction.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of that part of a dry meter that embodies my invention, the meter being held in its normal position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the improved latch, the

meter being held in its normal position;

Fig.4 is a side view of the improved latch, the meter being inclined to the right 90 from the normal position;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the improved latch, the meter being inclined to the left 90 from the normal position, and a Fig. 6 is a plan view of the situation that may obtain when the meter is inclined toward its front or back and the latches lie fiat in the groove.

In these views, 1 represents a latch piece facing one way, 2 represents a latch piece facing in the opposite direction, 3 represents the point of suspension of the two latches, and 4 the bracket on which the pointof suspension 3 is supported, and which the latches strike when the revolving tangent arm 5 mounted on shaft 6 is forced to revolve in the reverse direction. 7 represents the centre of gravity of the latches, 8 represents the projecting finger of the latches on which the revolving tangent arm strikes, thereby preventing reverse motion of the meter mechanism, 9 represents. the portion of the latch so proportioned in relation to the finger that when the said finger lies out of the plane of therevolving tangent arm, the said portion of the latch will project into the plane of the path of the revolving tangent arm instead of. the finger. The portion 9 is preferably shorter from left to right than the corresponding portion of the latch in my prior patent, but longer in the vertical direction; that is to say, the portion 9 is more nearly a square. Furthermore, the outer edge of the finger is tapered more towards the upper end thereof than in the said patent.

In explaining the working of my invention, first, when the meter is supported in its normal position, the latches l and 2, on account of their centre of gravity 7 and the support afforded by 30 the bracket 4, as in Fig. (1) and Fig. (3) are maintained in their upright position, and when the revolving tangent arm 5 revolves in its normal direction, 1. e. right to left, the latches freely yield and allow the said tangent arm to pass unchecked.

But when the tangent arm is made to revolve in the reverse direction, and strikes against the projecting finger 8 of the latch 1, the lower portion of this latch touches and bears against the bracket 4, and the reverse motion is stopped.

Second, when the meter is removed from its connecting unions and the inlet and the outlet of the meter are connected up to the outlet and inlet pipe vice versa, and the meter is held in a position inclined to the right, and the latches assume such a position as shown by Fig. (4) then as the centre of gravity 7 of latches is located below the axis of suspension 3, the finger 8 of i the latch 1 is maintained in a position where it projects into the path of the revolving tangent arm 5, while the finger 3 of the latch 2 lies out of the path of the revolving tangent arm.

Third, when the meter is held in a position inclined to the left, and the latches assume such a position as shown by Fig. (5), and finger 8 of the latch 2 is maintained in such a position as to project into the path of the revolving tangent arm 5, while the finger 8 of the latch 1 may lie out of no the path of the revolving tangent arm.

Fourth, when the meter is held inclined towards the front or the back and the latches assume such a position as shown by Fig. (6), the portion 9 of the latch 1, peculiarly proportioned in relation to its projecting finger projects into the path of the revolving tangent arm, and when the said tangent arm revolves in the normal d'uection, it strikes the portion 9, the latch 1, then being so tipped that its finger projects into'the path of the revolving tangent arm 5. Moreover, when the said tangent arm revolves once in the reverse direction and strikes this portion 9, it lifts the finger 8 of the latch 1, causing it to project into the path of the revolving tangent arm 5.

In this manner, even when purposely or other- Wise a meter is supported in any inclined position as above, and made to run in the reverse direction, with the provision of my invention it will be positively impossible to run backward, a feature entirely new and of great improvement for dry gas meters.

directions to move independently of each other,.

the said members each having a ringer: at one side of the pivot and weighted at opposite side to cause the fingers one or the other to project into the path of the tangent-arm, at whatever angle the meter may be inclined to the right, to the left, to the back, or to'the front between 0 and 90 to the normal position, to thereby prevent reverse motion of the meter-mechanism in any position of the meter.

2. In a dry gasmeter having a metering mechanism including a revolving tangent-arm, pivoted latch means including two latches each with a projecting finger, either one of which is adapted to be engaged by said. tangent-arm, the said latches having their center of gravity below the center line that passes through the projecting finger and located on the side of the pivot opposite to the projecting finger so that the movement of the latch about the pivot will be sufficient to cause either one or" the latch fingers to project into the plane of the path of said tangent-arm, when the meter is tilted to right, to left, to front or to back from the normal position, the said latches'being provided on the side of the pivot opposite to the projecting fingers with projections at right angles to the said fingers and of a height sufficient to reach the path of the tangent-arm while the latch fingers are below the path of the tangent-arm.

In a gas meter having a metering mechanism including a revolving tangent-arm, a support, and latch means including two members pivoted on said support as in claim 1, one of said members facing in onedirection and the other in the opposite direction, whereby at least one of the members always presents a portion into the path of the tangent-arm to preventreverse movement thereof in any inclined position of the meter.

GOMPEI KUWADA. 

